


dreams tonite

by lingerlikeatattookiss



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bisexual Katara (Avatar), Bisexual Zuko (Avatar), Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Multi, Pining, Smoking, Underage Drinking, Zuko wearing Katara’s necklace on his wrist is something that can be so personal, just teenagers being dumb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-19 04:15:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29620464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lingerlikeatattookiss/pseuds/lingerlikeatattookiss
Summary: “Bye Katara,” he replies softly, watching her go.Uncle steps into the small room, reaching for a box, while Zuko still sits on the ground.“As glad as I am to see you with your new friend, it wouldn’t be wise to get too attached to Miss Katara. You are aware that she has a boyfriend?”He just sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Believe me, I know.”OrIn which Zuko falls for his crush's girlfriend(Jetko to Zutara)
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 101





	dreams tonite

**Author's Note:**

> I've been sitting on this idea for a bit, and I'm finally satisfied with it. I hope you all enjoy!!
> 
> Another note: The title of this fic comes from a song on Alvvay's album Antisocialites, which heavily inspired this work.
> 
> Also, here’s the playlist for this fic, if anyone likes that kind of stuff:  
> [dreams tonite playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1QpuZ3mgYfYSWk9bi677Q4?si=R66GaxnFRoOBaEk40DsPmg)

The Jasmine Dragon is quiet, as it normally is on weekday afternoons during the warmer months, serving as a sanctuary for students studying and elderly adults trying to avoid the hordes of teenagers that have taken over the streets. Light streams through the large glass panes of the teashop’s front, casting a soft glow on its inhabitants, while the sound of indie pop music play faintly in the background.

_Jin must be in charge of the playlist,_ Zuko thinks as he prepares an order for a customer, rolling his eyes to the Clairo song playing though the speakers. One glance at the cashier, who’s moving her head to the beat as she looks through their tip jar, only confirms his beliefs.

He looks at the name on the plastic cup in his hand, calling out “Katara” before placing the honeydew boba on the counter and getting ready to make the next order. Reaching for porcelain teacups to use for a loyal elderly couple that has been frequenting the shop since its switch in location to a plaza near the high school, he hears his uncle’s voice nearby, “Miss Katara, how are you, my dear?”

Zuko turns around to see his uncle and a girl his age on the other side of the counter. He recognizes her as one of their newer patrons, who had recently begun coming in a few days of the week to claim one of armchairs in the corner of the shop, where she can spread out her school materials on the coffee table in front of it. She probably goes to school with him too, just one of the many faces that passes him in the halls.

“I’m doing good, Mr. Iroh. Just here for the usual, to pretend to do my homework while I get some of your amazing bubble tea,” she jokes.

“You flatter me,” Uncle chuckles. Zuko’s sure that he’ll offer her a coupon at some point or give her free cakes, as he tends to do with the Jasmine Dragon’s regulars.

The girl – Katara - returns to her seat, falling back into her study routine. From what Zuko has seen of her, he can’t deny Katara’s dedication to her schoolwork. He’s sure that she doesn’t experience the panic that comes with writing an essay in bleak hours of the morning the day it’s due.

His shift continues and as he anxiously counts down the minutes until he can go home, Zuko wanders around the shop, clearing plates off of recently vacated tables. He spots his Uncle speaking to Katara in her seat a few feet away from where he stands.

“Miss Katara, you’re here longer than usual, do you need a ride home. My nephew would be happy to drive you.” Zuko shoots Uncle a look. Of course, he’s offering up Zuko’s time without consulting him first. Though, he knows he would agree to it if she really did need a ride.

“Thank you for the offer,” Zuko quietly sighs in relief. If he had taken her home, Uncle would probably bring it up constantly or try to set them up on a date. As much as he appreciated the old man, he could do without his meddling. “But my boyfriend should be here soon to pick me up.”

More relief floods through Zuko as her response once again eliminates the possibility of an awkward encounter between them. If Katara has a boyfriend, that definitely means Uncle can’t push him into asking her out. Not that she doesn’t seem nice, but Zuko’s mind has been preoccupied with someone else lately.

The front door’s bell chimes, and he almost drops the stack of china in his hands when he sees person walking in.

_Jet._ It can’t be anyone else. Zuko would be able to spot his messy hair, sun-kissed brown skin, and smug grin in any crowd. He notices the torn-up vans that he’s committed to memory, after spending so much time staring down at them while smoking cigarettes behind the school with the other boy.

Zuko’s heartbeat picks up. The irrational part of his brain supplies him with ideas about Jet coming here just to see him. Though they saw each other nearly every day, their time together was limited to hiding out during fourth period, trying not to get caught by a teacher. He had been hoping for an opportunity to talk to the other boy outside of school, and now one has practically landed in his lap.

But Jet doesn’t walk up to Zuko, instead he looks to someone just a few feet away. Zuko watches the smile widen on Katara’s face before she stands up to kiss Jet. He quickly looks away, the display of affection making his stomach coil in jealousy. Katara’s voice echoes in his head, saying the word, “boyfriend” over and over again.

He should have known Jet wasn’t single. In his defense, they hadn’t shared many conversations outside of bitter grievances towards the world’s institutions. Zuko could tell you everything about Jet’s views on capitalism and why hand rolled cigarettes are “just better” without needing to know his last name. So outside of the small rainbow pin on Jet’s backpack, Zuko hadn’t thought to consider if he was in a relationship.

Yet, the way Jet stands, looking down at Katara with his hands intertwined with hers only solidifies that he is in one.

“Hey, Zuko. I didn’t know you worked here,” Jet says, finally tearing himself away from his girlfriend to be aware of his surroundings.

“Yeah, my Uncle owns the place.”

“Cool,” he says, though Zuko is aware of the red spreading on his face that marks him as anything but. “I’ll have to come by sometime to check it out more.”

Even with Jet’s arm wrapped around Katara’s waist, the corner of Zuko’s mouth turns up slightly.

* * *

Despite the prospect of Jet visiting him at work, the walk home is lonely as Zuko thinks back on all his interactions with him. He hadn’t known the boy until several weeks ago, when he found him leaning against the brick wall of his spot behind the school.

_Met by a glare from Zuko, Jet held up his hands in defense. “Sorry, my spot was busted by a teacher. I didn’t know this place was taken.”_

_He just nodded his head in response, planning to ignore the other boy for the time being. Yet his eyes kept drifting towards him, taking in his ripped jeans and brown corduroy jacket and the clouds of white that swirled around him._

_The next day, Jet presented him with a joint to make up for invading his space. By the time he walked back into the building, red eyed and heart racing, Zuko had already forgotten why he’d been mad, and could only think about the way Jet’s fingers felt brushing against his own as they passed a lighter to each other._

_They met almost every day after, keeping their conversation light, but Zuko still found himself looking forward to their encounters. Throughout his years at the school, he’d gained a reputation as a loner, without wanting or needing friends. But Jet didn’t seem to mind his off-putting demeanor or the scar that tended to scare people away._

_One day, Zuko was making his usual walk towards the school’s exit. At the start of the year, he’d been dimly aware that he shouldn’t ditch class, but it was study hall and the teacher never took attendance, so there was no harm done._

_“Sozin, where’s your hall pass?”_

_Shit._

_He turned to find Mr. Zhao smirking down at him. The bastard looked so pleased, probably hoping to ruin a senior’s day with only a few months until graduation. Zuko tried to think of an excuse but failed to find convincing words. He’d never had his sister’s talent for telling lies. As he opened his mouth, hoping that something coherent could come out, he heard,_

_“He’s with me.”_

_Jet came up to them, waving a pink pass in his hand. “Sorry, we went to ask a teacher something, and I had to leave Zuko alone to go use the bathroom.”_

_Zhao narrowed his eyes, but ultimately accepted the excuse, “Get to class,” he told the two before moving on. Naturally, the do the exact opposite and walk out the doors as soon as he’s out of eyesight._

_“It’s blank,” Jet told him when they came outside, showing the hall pass hadn’t even been filled out. Zuko made a quick prayer to whoever’s above, thanking them for making sure Zhao didn’t actually check to see if their names were on the slip._

_Once in their spot, they fell easily into their rhythm, making jokes as they looked out into the back parking lot. Zuko cleared his throat, “Thanks for saving me back there. You could’ve just turned around- “_

_“It’s no problem. You’re an outcast like me,” he said before taking a drag. “And us outcasts have to stick together.”_

_That was the final nail in the coffin, damning Zuko to spend the rest of his days pining after the other boy. He watched the way the cigarette met Jet’s lips, wondering what they would feel like pressed against his own._

“Katara knows,” he whispers to himself, his voice bitter due to the image of her embrace with Jet at the forefront of his mind.

Melodramatic as ever, Zuko slams the door as he enters the house, gaining attention from Azula, who’s seated in the living room. She doesn’t bother to glance up at him, letting her perfectly manicured fingers flip to the next page of the magazine she’s reading.

“Uncle will be home with the car in a few hours, he wanted to stay until closing today,” he says dryly, knowing that Iroh wanted him to tell her.

“Why are you in such a pissy mood?” She asks, taking in the way Zuko runs his hands through his hair in frustration after sinking into the sofa.

“Leave me alone, Azula. Don’t you have somewhere to be? Go make out with Ty Lee or whatever you normally do.”

“So that’s it,” she raises an eyebrow, “You’re jealous. It’s not my fault you’re not seeing someone Zuzu.”

He chooses not to respond. Instead, he continues to state ahead at the television, aimlessly flipping through channels.

“Mai’s moved on,” she tells him.

“This isn’t about Mai,” though his response sounds somewhat exhausted, it rings true. “I’m well aware she doesn’t want to be with me anymore, and honestly, I don’t care.”

“Good,” she pauses, “I don’t want anything to be awkward if the girls come over.” Zuko knows she’s lying, she never liked bringing Mai and Ty Lee to the small house they lived in with Uncle, not when the other girl’s houses were so much nicer. But harsh as her methods may be, this is her way of letting him know that she cares.

Silence falls between the siblings, with only the TV on in the background while Zuko searches for words to say. Over the years since they moved in with their Uncle, they’d gotten closer, but he’d never spoken to her about relationships much except the brief time she set him up with her friend, Mai.

He clears his throat, “Do you know anything about a girl named Katara?”

Her amber eyes bore into his, as if trying to decipher his motive, “I’m assuming you mean Katara Kuruk. And if that’s the case, then yes, I do know her. We share classes together. She can be annoying, but I have to admit that she’s smart.”

Zuko rolls his eyes, of course she couldn’t give a compliment without throwing an insult in too, “Okay.”

“Why do you want to know? I’m surprised you’re interested in her. Would’ve thought her peppy attitude would’ve pushed you away.”

“No, I’m not asking because I’m interested in her,” he says quickly.

“Besides, she’s seeing someone.” Zuko eyes fall to the the ground, and feels his neck start to turn read. Azula’s smart, she’s undoubtedly put the pieces together. When he looks back up, she’s shaking her head at him.

“Oh Zuko, you always like to get yourself in trouble, don’t you?”

* * *

However his feelings towards Jet don’t fade, rather they only amplify as they continue to see each other more. Alongside their meetings at school, Jet makes do on his promise to visit the Jasmine Dragon, though it’s only on occasion and always with Katara by his side. It isn’t until he’s invited to join their table that guilt starts to make a home in him.

Katara is undeniably friendly, and not the way Azula is, where she’s looking for ways to get under your skin. Even during small talk, her smile is sincere, and she begins to strike conversations with him on the days that Jet isn’t there.

Once, she comes up to the counter, asking for the recipe for their wagashi.

“I’d love to be able to make some for my family,” she tells them, explaining that she does a lot of the cooking in the house and is looking to try new things. Uncle is no less than thrilled to write out the recipe for her, engaging in a conversation with her about cooking and giving her a tin of loose-leaf green tea before she goes.

He rejoins Zuko behind the counter, “Why don’t you have an interest in cooking, nephew?”

“I only started to make tea without burning it a few months ago.”

“See, you’re improving already,” Uncle jokes, patting his back.

Weeks go by with them seeing each other during the school week, when one Sunday, Jet and Katara enter just as Zuko finishes his shift, preparing to spend the rest of the day doing nothing.

Jet spots him first, “Hey Zuko, are you done working?”

“Yeah, I just got off.”

“Katara and I are about to hit up Serpent’s Pass. Do you want to come?” The Serpent’s Pass was a skate park on the other side of town. Never one to excel at skateboarding, Zuko hadn’t been to it in years, but he wasn’t going to turn down Jet’s offer.

“Sure.”

Minutes later, Zuko is crammed into the backseat of a blue Honda Civic, chewing on tapioca while Katara refuses to stop talking. Occasionally, the car jerks as Jet rounds a corner with carelessness, but Katara just continues her conversation, ignoring the way her seatbelt digs into her neck. She turns around to look at him.

“Thanks for coming with us Zuko. Sorry if we disrupted your plans for the afternoon.”

“Oh, it’s alright. I wasn’t going to do much today anyway. Usually on Sundays, I have to be at dinner with my Uncle and sister, but that’s about it.” He almost cringes at how pathetic he must sound to Jet. He clears his throat, “I feel like I should let you know that I don’t really skate.”

Her grin just widens, “Good, neither do I. You can just stick me with me. If you don’t mind.”

He finds that he doesn’t. “That sounds fine.”

When they reach the Serpent’s Pass, Jet grabs his board and Zuko is reminded of the teasing older boys that would ridicule young newcomers for having the audacity to hold a skateboard by the truck because it’s more comfortable. That was one of the reasons he never gotten more into skating. Picking on kids is always a shallow move, even if it’s to protect from ‘posers.’

Jet guides them through the park’s street features to where a group of people stand off to the side. He presents them to Zuko, “This here, is my crew, the Freedom Fighters.” Zuko surveys the group of five, noticing that some of them can’t be much older than thirteen. Jet points to each member, “Sneers, Longshot, Smellerbee, The Duke, and Pipsqueak.”

The small girl that had been identified as Smellerbee looks to Jet holding up a video camera, “What took you so long? We were afraid you’d got busted by the cops again.”

Zuko recalls Jet’s occasional boasts to him as they smoked. Getting caught for petty crimes: vandalism, shoplifting, fighting. Warnings didn’t matter to Jet, not when he thought he was doing things for the greater good.

“Nah, we were just running late, then we stopped for drinks. Anyway, have a little faith in me, I told you that I wouldn’t get caught again.” The smirk on Jet’s face falls when he sees Katara’s crossed arms and accusatory expression.

“I’m just kidding, babe.” Zuko has to resist rolling his eyes at the pet name, though he likely wouldn’t feel the same if he was on the receiving end of it.

Katara’s face softens, but she doesn’t unfold her arms. “Sorry for being concerned,” her voice bites. “I just don’t need you getting into any trouble in or out of school with only two months until you graduate.”

“Oh, come on Katara, don’t act like you don’t want to stick it to them either.” Zuko assumes the ‘them’ refers to any form of authority, which he knew Jet hated due to his perpetual Peter Pan complex. Jet laughs, “I heard about the way you blew up at Pakku the other day. I’m so proud, you almost got sent to the principal’s office.”

Face turning red, her mouth falls open, “That was different.”

“Not really,” he goads. The envy that’s been building within Zuko over the last few weeks only intensifies when Jet leans down to kiss Katara, whispering to her before skating away from the two of them, with the rest of the Freedom Fighters following.

He watches Jet warm up before attempting various tricks. Like him, his skating is wild and a bit crude, but it’s beautiful, nonetheless. Zuko watches him repeat a kickflip, relentless about reaching perfection, while Smellerbee records.

Zuko turns to the girl beside him. Though she isn’t a skater, Katara doesn’t look out of place. An oversized blue flannel looks at home on her shoulders, open to show her cropped tank top and wide legged jeans. Straight out of the Seattle grunge scene, she looks effortlessly cool.

“Do you come here often with Jet?”

Her attention lands on him, “Yeah, I guess, you could say that. We actually met here. I was with a friend of mine when he ran into me by accident.”

“Quite the meet-cute,” Zuko says, and she lets out a sharp laugh.

Colors move in his right eye’s peripheral vision, a stark contrast to the concrete all around them. Katara’s attention focuses on something in the distance and he follows her line of vision to see a younger boy clad in a bright orange t-shirt, and a blue arrow running down the center of his beanie.

“Aang!” Katara calls out, running closer to him.

Aang continues to skate, having not noticed her yet. From afar, Zuko observes him, noticing that he’s far more graceful that Jet, with more time spent in the air. Watching the younger boy skate reminds Zuko of his sister’s girlfriend, Ty Lee, with her flips and twirls that always leave people in awe.

Aang returns to the ground, his wheels coming down with a clatter before he meets Katara with a hug. Coming closer to the two of them, it’s clear that Aang is only a freshman, the top of his head only reaching Katara’s nose.

“Katara, I didn’t know you’d be here today.”

“Sorry, I didn’t realize I was coming until this morning, so I completely forgot to text and let you know. I’m here with Jet and his friends.” Aang’s expression visibly darkens at the mention of Jet, and Zuko knows the look on his face well. Much like himself, Aang wants someone in a relationship. Though, being older and much taller, Zuko has to acknowledge his own chances are better than the other boy’s.

“This is Zuko, by the way,” Katara says, looking back at him.

He gives a curt wave, inwardly cringing, but Aang doesn’t seem affected by his awkward greeting.

Katara continues, “His uncle owns the tea place I’ve told you about.”

Aang’s mouth opens in recognition, “Oh, that’s great! I’ve been meaning to stop by there sometime, ever since you opened near the school.” He turns to Zuko, “Do you guys have any vegan options?”

“We have some. And Uncle’s always trying new recipes, so I’m sure he’ll take ideas.”

“Awesome,” Aang nods his head. “How do you guys feel about pets?”

“Uh,” Zuko’s hand goes to the back of his neck, brushing the hair at the nape of it.

“Aang,” Katara says, her voice like that of a 35-year-old woman talking to a child rather than 16-year-old in conversation with her friend. “I think Appa’s a bit too large for the Jasmine Dragon.”

“Aw man, you’re probably right,” he frowns.

Zuko chimes in, “If it helps, a stray cat comes by sometimes and we feed it.”

Aang’s face immediately lights up, “That sounds great! I’ll definitely have to swing by soon.”

Jet waves them over and Katara says bye to her friend, promising to come see him later before making sure that he has a way to get home. Zuko notices the way she looks after the people in her life, working to ensure that they’re always okay. He admires her compassion, but the question remains, _does she ever get tired of it?_

* * *

The afternoon fades into evening and Katara announces that she has to go.

“I told one of the other lifeguards I’d cover his lessons tonight,” she tells Jet.

“Alright,” he says, “I’m gonna stick around here. I have some things to do.”

“Like what, Jet?” Zuko hears the tiredness in Katara’s voice. It seems like they’ve been through this conversation before, and Katara’s sick of having it.

Jet places a hand on Katara’s arm, the other one tilting her chin to look into her eyes, “Nothing bad, I promise. You don’t need to worry about me.”

Feeling that he’s intruding on a private moment, Zuko focuses on the other skaters, but moments later, Katara approaches him.

“Do you want a ride home Zuko? I know you said you had to get to dinner with your family.”

Somewhat shocked that she’d remembered, he answers, “Yeah, that’d be great. Thanks.”

“It’s no problem.”

He follows Katara to the car they drove in, discovering that it belong to her, not Jet, as she gets in behind the wheel. This makes sense, considering the car is much cleaner than he expected from Jet.

Gone is the chatterbox from the drive to the Serpent’s Pass, instead she focuses on the road, letting him direct her to his house. She never strays above the speed limit, constantly checking for passerby. Zuko had thought himself to be a good driver, but Katara’s safety measures put his to shame.

The sun casts a golden glow on Katara, illuminating her for all the world to witness. Zuko’s sure that he isn’t the first person to be entranced by the warmth of her smile as she laughs at a not-so-funny remark. Her eyes rarely veer off the road, but when she does glance towards him, he gets caught in their inviting blue depths. The radio is much quieter than he would personally have it, but they can still hear the Top 40 song coming through the car’s speakers, and he watches as Katara sings along softly to lyrics he doesn’t recognize. As she turns down the street to his house, he completely understands why Jet fell for her.

And he also understands why he’ll never compare.

But if he can’t have Jet’s love, he’s glad that she does.

Zuko enters his house to find Uncle preparing a large dinner, the way he does every Sunday night. The tradition began during the first few months after he and Azula moved in, as a way to help them adjust to their new life. Nearly five years later, and Zuko still tries not to miss it.

“How was your day, nephew? I was pleased to see that you went out with friends.”

“It was good.” For the first time, the words feel right on his tongue.

* * *

With exams nearing, Katara could regularly be spotted at her table, working through flashcards or staring at the computer for hours, only interrupting her typing to accept the cups of chamomile. An afternoon in April, she comes in with a tall boy whose features are similar to hers.

Zuko had seen him around school before, but his memory likes to fail him sometimes and he can’t attach a name to the face. Regardless, the boy buys half the food on the menu, while Katara bites the end of her pencil, staring down at her assignment. He points out something on the paper and she looks up at him with an expression only reserved for petty fights between siblings.

Zuko comes over to clear the plates off the table, and Katara points the end of her pencil between him and the other boy. “Meet my idiot brother, Sokka, who is currently getting on my very last nerve.”

“You’re talking a lot of shit for someone whose grade depends on me,” says Sokka in defense.

She looks to Zuko in desperation, “You don’t know how to do physics do you?”

“Sorry, I’m definitely not a STEM guy.” Zuko could write a paper, but there was no way that he would purposefully do more math than necessary.

“See Katara, you need your big brother.”

“I _need_ you to shut the fuck up,” she mutters under her breath, and Zuko has to disguise his laugh as a cough.

He glances down at the Greek letters that have replaced numbers on her worksheet, “Good luck with that.”

She slides him one of the many coupons Uncle has given her, “We’re about to need all the tea we can get. This is going to be a very long study session.”

He nods, coming back to refill their cups over the next few hours. Finally, Katara decides that she’s learned enough about force and work to last a lifetime and drinks her final cup. She shoves Sokka lightly on the way out, and he meets her with a push of his own. But it isn’t mean, the way his interactions with Azula had once been. Even when bickering, the Kuruk siblings clearly love each other.

After they’re gone, Zuko goes through closing procedures with Uncle when he comes across a necklace near the Jasmine Dragon’s front windows. It’s a deep blue, with a pendant of slightly lighter shade hanging from the slightly frayed ribbon. Upon closer inspection he sees that it’s clasp in broken, which means it likely fell off the person wearing it without them realizing.

They don’t have a lost and found, so he ties the necklace around his wrist. He’ll have to ask around to see if anyone is missing a necklace. _Katara probably knows who it belongs to_ , he thinks with the blue ribbon tied around him, the pendant cool against his palm.

* * *

Zuko is sweeping the floor when the bell rings and he smile slightly when Katara enters the shop. His face drops, however, when he sees that she’s on the verge of tears.

Her words jumble together as she races to get them out, “Zuko, have you seen a blue necklace? I’ve looked everywhere for it, but I just can’t find it. I figured I should check here since I come in like all the time- “

He puts the broom on the wall before placing his hands on her shoulders, trying to calm her down. “Hey, it’s okay. Just slow down and take deep breaths,” he instructs her, recalling the way he’d been soothed as a child.

She nods her head and wipes her eyes of the water threatening to spill out. “I’m sorry, sometimes when I get anxious, I start to talk a lot and I don’t always make sense.”

“There’s no need to apologize.” They sit on one of the small couches nearby. “Just tell me what I can do to help.”

“Alright,” she takes a moment to compose herself, “The other day, I lost this necklace that’s important to me. I’ve had it for a while, so the chain must have broken without me realizing it. I just wanted to know if you or anyone else here had seen anything that could be it.”

“Does it happen to look like this?” He holds up his wrist and pulls back the sleeve of his shirt to show the blue ribbon and pendant tied around it.

Her large blue eyes widen, and before he realizes what’s happening, Katara’s body is on his, her arms wrapped around his neck in an embrace. He sinks into her touch, securing his own hands around her waist and taking in the vanilla scent of her perfume. She pulls away, and he lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He ignores the way the feel of her touch still lingers on his skin, the thought too complicated for him to dissect in the moment.

Katara head tilts back with a laugh, “Spirits, of course you had it all along.”

He chuckles quietly, trying to untie the necklace’s knot. “It’s not like I knew it was yours. Besides, I don’t have your number, so I couldn’t just text you to ask.”

Zuko looks up to see her frown, and he freezes, silently praying that he hadn’t offended her by not recognizing the necklace as hers. She holds her hand out, “Well then, give me your phone.”

He blinks, “Oh, you don’t have to give me it if you don’t want to.”

“We’re friends. We should have each other’s phone numbers,” she insists.

He fishes his phone out of his back pocket and hands it to her. He looks down again, bringing his attention back to untying her necklace. The knot finally comes undone and he holds it up to her in triumph. “Here you go,” he says, exchanging the blue ribbon for his cellphone.

“I can’t thank you enough, Zuko,” she rests her hand on his forearm, and he suddenly forgets how to breathe properly. _She has a boyfriend;_ he forces himself to exhale. _A boyfriend that you have a crush on._

“It’s not that big of a deal. If anything, I probably should’ve gotten it to you sooner.”

Katara stares down at the pendant, looking at the swirling wave etched into it. “This was my mom’s, I got it when she passed,” she swallows, her voice becoming thick with emotion. Zuko looks around at the other patrons, then makes eye contact with Jin, nodding his head towards the back of the store. She just shrugs in response.

“Do you want to go somewhere private,” he asks Katara.

He directs her to a storage room, joining her minutes later with a tray carrying two cups of fresh tea. They sit on the floor of the room, their legs folded with the tray in between them, serving as a table for their makeshift tea party. However, the party is ruined by the stacks of boxed tea leaves against the wall and the somber mood in the air.

Zuko waits for her to speak, more than willing to sit in silence if it’s what she needs.

“A car crash,” Katara whispers, rubbing her thumb across the necklace’s pendant. “That’s how she died. I was eight. She went to work and never came back.”

“I’m sorry Katara,” he tells her sincerely. He doesn’t want to seem like he pities her, but he knows better than anyone that the loss of one’s mother is something that can’t be overcome. “My mom’s gone too. Well, she’s either dead or just gone. To be honest, I’m not sure which one to hope for.”

Katara’s eyes meet his under the room’s single incandescent bulb hanging overhead. There is no judgement in her eyes, only understanding, giving Zuko the courage to continue.

“If she isn’t dead, that means she left us alone with him. Shouldn’t a mother want keep her children safe, even if it’s from their own father?” These were words he’d never spoken aloud, not even to his Uncle after he’d taken guardianship of Azula and him.

Katara’s hand reaches out, slowly coming towards his face. There’s enough time for him to stop her, or turn his head, but he doesn’t. Her question goes unspoken, but he knows it’s there. “Yes,” he sees her hand come closer, fingers hesitating over his skin, “my father did this.”

Zuko can’t feel the fingers resting on his scar. The last thing he’d ever felt there was the burning sensation against his flesh, before he woke up in the hospital and found out the next time he’d see Ozai would be on his way to prison.

But he can feel her thumb brush across his mouth, his lips parting at her touch.

“Can you feel it?” _The electricity from her skin against his lips, yes, he can still feel it._

“No, the nerves are too damaged. I haven’t been able to feel anything there in a long time,” he croaks out, his mouth suddenly dry.

“You didn’t deserve this,” she says, her voice just above a whisper. At one point in time, he may have argued, telling her that it was his punishment for lacking respect. But years have passed since that day, and days spent in therapy and with Uncle have shown him that his father’s love shouldn’t have needed to be earned.

“You didn’t deserve it either,” he replies, thinking about the necklace in her other hand. And neither did Jet, whose parents were dead too. None of them deserved to lose everything so young, but the world didn’t seem to care.

The silence is suffocating, a million thoughts running through Zuko’s head, but he can’t find a single thing to say. He isn’t given the time to either when the door suddenly opens.

“Oh, nephew, I’m sorry to interrupt,” a bashful Iroh says as he surveys the situation before him.

“It’s fine. I should probably be going anyway.” Katara hastily grabs her necklace, putting it in her pocket. Iroh steps aside, making space for her to leave, but she stops and looks back on her way out. “Thank you Zuko.”

“Bye Katara,” he replies softly, watching her go.

Uncle steps into the small room, reaching for a box, while Zuko still sits on the ground.

“As glad as I am to see you with your new friend, it wouldn’t be wise to get too attached to Miss Katara. You are aware that she has a boyfriend?”

He just sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Believe me, I know.”

* * *

A party.

Zuko had spent most of high school avoiding them, except for the few his sister threw while Uncle was away for a Pai Sho tournament. And he hadn’t come to those by choice.

Yet he walks through the dark house, past the bodies pressed against each other, letting the sounds of messy electronic beats and messier laughter wash over him all because Jet hadn’t stopped talking about it earlier.

It was supposed to be fun. Only upperclassmen, good alcohol, a low chance of neighbors issuing noise complaints. So Zuko agreed to stop by, figuring he should try to spend some more time with his classmates before he leaves. The wide grin Jet gave at his response made his heart stutter, but Zuko can’t help but compare it to another smile he’d recently become acquainted with.

It takes ten minutes and a stilted exchange with the most sober person he could find to discover that Jet isn’t even there. He’d ran off with his crew some time ago. Somehow, Zuko can’t find it in himself to be surprised.

With little left to do, he searches for any familiar face in the darkness and lands on Katara, sitting alone. She tilts her head up towards him when he joins her on the couch. He tries not to stare at the amount of leg her denim skirt reveals.

“He ditched us both,” she says with a bitter laugh. “Two people want to be with him, and he isn’t with either one of them.” She takes a sip from the solo cup she’d been holding.

Zuko is entirely unsure how to respond. She senses his hesitation, “It’s okay, I know you like him.”

He gulps, ready to apologize and agree to back off, but she continues before he can. “I get it. A few years ago, Sokka had a girlfriend, Yue. And as much as I love my brother, I couldn’t stand to see them together. It wasn’t until she moved away that I realized why I hated hearing him talk about their dates,” she breathes out slowly, “and why I couldn’t stop thinking about her.”

Katara looks directly into Zuko’s eyes, her gaze heavy, “If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that we don’t get to choose who we fall for.” The air between them is thick, tension falling over them like fog after a rainy night.

_Kiss her,_ something in him whispers.

He ignores it.

“Katara, I- “

She raises her cup, drinking far more than she had the first time, “Besides, you might be better off with him than I am anyway. I thought being with him would be fun, a nice distraction. And it was, he’s really hot.” Zuko can hear the alcohol in her words. “But I’m just so sick of his shit.” She starts talking louder, her gestures getting broader, “I take care of everyone, and I thought it’d be different with him. Meanwhile, I’m over here keeping him out of juvie because he wants to be _goddamn Robin Hood_ all the time.”

“How many of those have you had?” He points to the cup.

“Enough.” She throws her head back, groaning, “It doesn’t even taste good, but I need a way to pass time. Jet brought me here, so I can’t even go home until he gets back from wherever he went.”

“I’ll take you home,” Zuko says.

“Oh, you don’t have to do that. I’m fine, go- “

“I don’t want to be here either, and since I’m sober and planning to go home, I’d feel a lot better if you came with me.” Even if he’d been a worse person, he wouldn’t have left an upset and intoxicated girl alone at party for hours or let her drive home with someone just as drunk as her.

“Okay.”

They make their way out together, the back of Katara’s hand occasionally brushing his when the space between them tightens. The party is still thriving, the music only getting louder and the people bolder. His car awaits them on the other side of the street, and he opens the right-side door to let her in.

Into the drive, her head starts to lull to the side.

“You can go to sleep if you want, I already put your address in my phone.”

She sends him a grateful look before her eyes flutter closed. “Thanks, Zuko,” she yawns. “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever been so relaxed in the car with Jet.”

He doesn’t know how to respond, but it doesn’t matter because her breathing soon evens out. Following his GPS the rest of the way to her house, he makes sure to drive extra carefully in the dark, the way she would if she were behind the wheel, to ensure the safety of not only themselves but anyone else too.

Zuko pulls up to her house, which sits in a neighborhood not too far from Iroh’s. Seeing that she’s still asleep, he has to gently shake her, “Katara, wake up.”

“Mm,” she looks up at him through half shut eyes and he swears that time stills. Realization strikes her and she bolts up, straightening out her back in the seat. “Fuck, I hope Gran Gran is asleep, the last thing I need is for her to yell at me.” She looks at her driveway, noticing that her car is missing, “Great, Sokka’s still out with Suki. Hopefully she yells at him instead.”

He wipes his palms on his jeans, “Do you want me to walk you to the door?” Uncle always says that it’s what gentleman do for their girlfriends. Except Katara isn’t his girlfriend.

“No, I should be able to make the 10 foot walk myself. But I’m glad to know that chivalry isn’t dead.” Her hand on the door’s handle, she reaches over and kisses his cheek. “Goodnight, get home safely.” Then she’s gone, but he sits there, hand on his right cheek, where her lips had just been.

“Goodnight,” he whispers with only the moon to witness.

* * *

“Jet and I broke up,” Katara blurts out in between sips of boba. She sits on a stool in front of the emerald countertop, watching Zuko wipe off one of the machines behind it.

“What?” Jet had stopped meeting him during school, and Zuko had figured it was because he was spending more time with her. Apparently, he’d been wrong.

“Last week. I didn’t want to tell you yet and make things awkward between the three of us. We didn’t have a big fight or anything, we were just drifting apart. I thought dating him would help me relax but most of the time, being with him just felt like another responsibility that I have to deal with,” her eyes drift down, gaining sudden interest in her fingernails rather than looking at him. “But I understand if you want to ask him out now.”

“I don’t,” Zuko says quickly and her brow furrows in confusion. “Plan on asking him out, that is,” he adds on, wanting to hide his face behind his hands at his fumbling words.

“I told you, I don’t mind.”

He shrugs his shoulders. Now it’s _his_ turn to avert his gaze. “I’m interested in someone else.”

“Oh.”

Finally looking up, he sees her process the information. “Yeah, I think she might feel the same.”

“What makes you say that?” She puts her elbows on the counter, leaning in closer.

“Well, I know that she’s got this thing for bubble tea and I happen to get it for free. There’s no way she can lose.”

Zuko feels her laugh fan across his face as she pulls on his uniform and closes the small distance between them. He can feel her smile against his mouth as she leaves traces of honeydew behind on his tongue. He’s flustered when she pulls away, his breathing shallow.

A beautiful pink spreads across her bronze cheeks, and he stares wistfully as tugs on her bottom lip with her teeth. “I probably shouldn’t have done that while you’re working,” Katara admits.

“Good thing I’m on a break.”

“Since when?”

“Since now,” Zuko slips the apron off his head. He takes her hand, pulling her towards the back of the shop. The pleasant sound of her laughter rings through his ears, and he knows that it’ll be playing in the back of his mind for nights to come.

“Iroh doesn’t need you in the shop right now?” Katara starts playing with the ends of his hair after he closes the shop’s back door behind them.

“I’ll be back to help him in a bit,” he says unworried, trailing kisses down her neck. The rush wouldn’t come until later in the day anyway. “Right now, I have more pressing matters to attend to.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is an absolute mess, but I feel like that's what makes truly capture the teenage spirit.
> 
> Anyway, thank you so much for reading. I would love to hear any comments or questions on the fic, and kudos, and bookmarks are always greatly appreciated :)
> 
> The concept for this work was orginially posted on my zk twitter (@bi_katara), which I've chosen to deactivate since. Nothing major happened, I was just spending too much time on the app (sometimes up to 5 hours) and it was honestly awful for my mental health. If any of my old mutuals happen to read this, I miss you all and I’m open to talk anytime on tumblr: @1989nostalgia (main) or @mitskigatekeeper (writing sideblog) <3 <3


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